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Fifteenth Air Force was a Numbered Air Force in U.S. Air Force . In its most recent form, it was Air Mobility Command's intermediate echelon for units in the western United States and Pacific theater. On October 1st, 2003, Fifteenth Air Force was redesignated Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (EMTF), a new organization below a Numbered Air Force. Fifteenth Air Force was established on November 1 , 1943 as part of the United States Army Air Forces in the World War II Mediterranean Theater Of Operations as a strategic air force and commenced combat operations the day after it was formed. The first commander was General Jimmy Doolittle . The new air force drew its operational forces from heavy bombers of the IX Bomber Command , the strategic bomber command of the Ninth Air Force which was relocating to the United Kingdom to become a tactical air force in the European Theater Of Operations . Mainly operating out of bases in southern Italy , the Fifteenth Air Force, along with the Eighth Air Force and RAF Bomber Command , became the instruments used by the Allies to carry the strategic air offensive to Axis occupied Europe and Germany. A total of around 2,110 bombers were lost on operations, while its seven Fighter groups claimed a total of 1,836 enemy aircraft destroyed. The Fifteenth was de-activated in Italy September 15 , 1945 . In the postwar years and the establishment of the U.S. Air Force as an independent service, the Fifteenth Air Force was re-activated as one of Strategic Air Command 's primary numbered air forces. Since its transfer to Air Mobility Command in 1992, Fifteenth Air Force has assumed responsibility for Airlift and Air Refueling missions. 15TH USAAF ORGANIZATION AUGUST 1944 ! 2nd BG ! 97th BG ! 99th BG ! 301st BG ! 463rd BG ! 483rd BG
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